1) Elizabeth (Liz) Bates liz@lizforlaguna.com. Picked up nomination papers on 07/17/18 TURNED IN nomination papers: AUGUST 10, 2018 (Signatures verified by ROV – no Candidate Statement)

2) Peter Blake peterblakegallery@mac.com. Picked up nomination papers on 08/06/18 TURNED IN nomination papers: AUGUST 13, 2018 (Candidate Statement & Signatures verified by the ROV)
Check out Candidate Community Related Articles and Opinions: Peter Blake

3) Ann Christoph ann@ac-la.com. Picked up nomination papers on 07/25/18 TURNED IN nomination papers: AUGUST 10, 2018 (Candidate Statement & Signatures verified by the ROV)
Check out Candidate Community Related Articles and Opinions: Ann Christoph

4) Sue Marie Connolly suemarieinlaguna@qmail.com. Picked up nomination papers on 08/10/18 TURNED IN nomination papers: AUGUST 15, 2018 Signatures verified by ROV – no Candidate Statement
Check out Candidate Community Related Articles and Opinions: Sue Marie Connolly

5) Toni Iseman tiseman2@aol.com. TURNED IN nomination papers: AUGUST 9, 2018 (Candidate Statement & Signatures verified by the ROV)
Check out Candidate Community Related Articles and Opinions: Toni Iseman

6) Sue Kempf sueforcouncil2018@gmail.com. Picked up nomination papers on 07/16/18 TURNED IN nomination papers: AUGUST 8, 2018 (Candidate Statement & Signatures verified by the ROV)
Check out Candidate Community Related Articles and Opinions: Sue Kempf

7) Cheryl Kinsman carolijkahn@gmail.com. Picked up nomination papers on 07/16/18 TURNED IN nomination papers: AUGUST 14, 2018 (Candidate Statement & Signatures verified by the ROV)
Check out Candidate Community Related Articles and Opinions: Cheryl Kinsman

8) Lorene Laguna lorenelaguna@gmail.com. Picked up nomination papers on 07/24/18 TURNED IN nomination papers: JULY 30, 2018 (Candidate Statement & Signatures verified by the ROV)
Check out Candidate Community Related Articles and Opinions: Lorene Laguna

9) Judie Mancuso judie@judiemancuso.com. Picked up nomination papers on 07/16/18 TURNED IN nomination papers: AUGUST 2, 2018 (Candidate Statement & Signatures verified by the ROV)
Check out Candidate Community Related Articles and Opinions: Judie Mancuso

10) Allison Mathews jackalstudio16@qmail.com. TURNED IN nomination papers: AUGUST 10, 2018 (Candidate Statement & Signatures verified by the ROV)
Check out Candidate Community Related Articles and Opinions: Allison Mathews

11) Paul Merritt merrittmaster@yahoo.com. Picked up nomination papers on 07/25/18 TURNED IN nomination papers: AUGUST 10, 2018 (Candidate Statement & Signatures verified by the ROV)
Check out Candidate Community Related Articles and Opinions: Paul Merritt

This Candidate has withdrawn from the Election and is No Longer running for City Council. 12) Rob Zur Schmiede robz@voterobz.com. Picked up nomination papers on 07/19/18 TURNED IN nomination papers: AUGUST 6, 2018 (Candidate Statement & Signatures verified by the ROV).
Check out Candidate Community Related Articles and Opinions: Rob Zur Schmiede

Media and General Public Candidate Related Articles and Opinions for the November 6, 2018 Election Below:

LB Indy Columnist Billy Fried, “The Kibitzer: It’s Carnival Time”
Letter: Council Candidates Owe Voters Transparency – Laguna Beach Indy Newspaper
Liberate Laguna Wants Developer-Friendly Council –Laguna Beach Indy Newspaper

Laguna supposedly prides itself on being “progressive” and “forward thinking,” yet the city wants us to invest in old 20th Century technology by undergrounding utilities. The city has fast and furiously been spending our taxpayer dollars to blitz residents with ads on TV, Facebook, newspapers, etc. (just under $30,000 in April alone) on its “fear and fire” undergrounding campaign to scare voters into agreeing to tax ourselves hundreds of millions of dollars to underground a soon to be obsolete method of delivering power.

Why are we not planning for the very near future, and instead encourage every property owner to invest in solar technology and become individual self-generating power sources? The technology is here now and the recent break-throughs in lithium-ion battery storage capacity and cost makes spending millions on “old school” utility power technology a very poor return on investment. Another bonus is that lithium-ion solar batteries are virtually maintenance free. Likewise, the price of installing solar has dropped dramatically, and solar panels are now incorporated into roof tiles that are unobtrusive and aesthetic as well.

California just passed legislation requiring all newly built homes to have solar panels beginning in 2020. That’s less than two years away, and more than likely before the city would even begin to break ground on undergrounding Laguna Canyon Road. Why should residents be expected to cover the cost to improve SC Edison’s aging, archaic infrastructure on Laguna Canyon Road? We certainly aren’t being given “stock” in exchange for this misguided taxpayer “investment.”

The new state solar mandate is a quantum leap toward the future, embracing solar technology so readily available in our coastal state and encouraging power self-sufficiency. Let’s get OFF the grid, and not send hundreds of millions of dollars under ground. Think about it – Laguna has no major industrial business within its six square miles, so it has no need for major power production.

Our residences can generate more than sufficient power for home residential use and charging our vehicles. Laguna could become one of the first self-sufficient “solar cities” in the state, and the nation. That’s progressive action we can all get behind (or ahead of!). Many small islands are already 100% solar self-sufficient. If they can do it, so can we.

Stop taxing our property to pay for old technology. Let’s lead, embrace the future. It’s a much better return on our investment and our tax dollars.

At its 11 July 2017 meeting, the City Council overturned the ‘informal’ Essential Employee Housing Assistance Program that had been created in April 2000.  The idea behind the program was that certain ‘essential’ city employees should live in the city so as to be readily available in case of emergency.

After several residents spoke out against the continuation of the program and when the total remuneration paid to current program participants was revealed, the council made the fiscally prudent decision to halt providing housing assistance to additional city employees.

See the Laguna Beach Independent article on the decision by clicking here

The Voice of OC has reported that Supervisor Shawn Nelson (District 4: northwest Orange County) had the riverbed homeless encampment near Anaheim Stadium along the Santa Ana river removed. The justification given was that the removal was needed for flood control purposes.  Anyone who’s seen Mr. Nelson, an attorney, in action knows he’s not averse to bold action or courting controversy.  This action is likely to attract another ACLU lawsuit on behalf of those displaced.

Given our City’s ongoing issues with increasing homelessness and ever more ‘assertive’ homeless, how do you view provocative moves such as Mr. Nelsons?

http://voiceofoc.org/2017/03/shawn-nelson-had-homeless-camp-removed-from-riverbed-near-honda-center-emails-show/

From Troubled Parcel Emerges New Open Space